PEOPLE ARE ABANDONING THEIR LANDLINES for cellphones. I’ll be one of the last to do that — for one thing, we need a landline for the podcasts. But I also value the greater clarity and reliability of landlines over cell service. They’re better in an emergency, and they’re better for a phone conversation that lasts more than 90 seconds.

That said, if I were still in the move-every-year phase of my 20s, I wouldn’t bother with a landline. Setting up phone service is one of the hassles of moving, and a cell number that stays the same makes it easier to stay in touch with your friends anyway.